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Trump also said Xi assured him that China wouldn’t provide Iran with military equipment.
US President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)US President Donald Trump said that China can “probably” influence Iran, after he met his counterpart, Xi Jinping, during a state visit to Beijing.
In an interview aired on Thursday evening on Fox News' “Hannity” program, Trump said, “Xi probably has the ability to influence Iran” as Tehran and Washington struggle to reach a deal.
Xi privately offered assistance on resolving the war, though it was unclear what that would mean, given China's strategic partnership with Iran, Trump said in the interview.
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Donald Trump stated that China's President Xi Jinping "probably has the ability to influence Iran." This came after their meeting in Beijing, where discussions touched upon the ongoing conflict and reaching a deal.
Yes, President Xi Jinping assured President Trump that China would not provide Iran with military equipment. Trump mentioned that Xi stated this "strongly."
China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil. Trump hopes Xi will leverage this economic relationship to encourage Iran to accept a deal on US terms.
Both leaders agreed that the Strait of Hormuz, which had been effectively closed, needs to be reopened to support global energy demands. Xi also reportedly opposed any implementation of tolls on vessels crossing the strait.
Xi Jinping privately offered assistance on resolving the war, though the specifics were unclear given China's strategic partnership with Iran. He also expressed a desire to see the Strait of Hormuz reopened.
Trump also said Xi assured him that China wouldn’t provide Iran with military equipment.
He also told Fox News that the two world leaders have agreed that the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closed since the start of the Iran conflict, needs to be reopened to support global energy demands.
About 20% of the world’s oil flowed through the strait before the war started on February 28.
China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil, and Trump hopes Xi will use that leverage to prod Iran into a deal on US terms.
“He’d like to see the Hormuz Strait open," Trump said. "He said if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help.”
The US president said Xi was also opposed to any implementation of tolls on vessels crossing the strait.
The US President said that he thinks that Iran’s current leadership is “actually much more reasonable in many ways.” — “Smarter than the first tier and the second tier who are no longer with us.”
However, Trump said he would not be much more patient with Iran. "I am not going to be much more patient," Trump said. "They should make a deal."
Here are the top updates from Trump's China visit:
- Trump said that China is interested in buying US oil. “They've agreed they want to buy oil from the United States” to reduce Chinese dependence on Gulf oil in the future, Trump told Fox News.
- China, the key foreign customer of Iranian oil, bought small amounts of US oil before Trump imposed tariffs last year.
- The United States expects China to sign up to buy "double-digit billions" worth of US farm goods, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said.
- China, the biggest foreign buyer of US soybeans, stopped buying them altogether last year after Trump hiked tariffs on all Chinese goods, turning instead to Brazil.
- Trump told Fox News that he raised the issue of Visa wanting greater access to China's credit card market in talks with the Chinese. “I said, what about using Visa in China? For some reason, they were blackballed. Maybe that will come off,” Trump said.
- Meanwhile, Xi reportedly warned Trump that their differences on the self-ruled island of Taiwan, if handled poorly, could hurtle the world's dominant powers toward “clashes and even conflicts,” according to Chinese government officials.
Trump and Xi are set to have more time together at Xi's official residence in Beijing on Friday before the US President returns to Washington. “I think he’s a warm person, actually. But he’s all business,” Trump said of Xi in the Fox News interview. “There’s no games.”
(With agency inputs)
About the Author
Arshdeep Kaur
Arshdeep Kaur is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she reports and edits across national and international politics, business and culture‑adjacent trending stories for digital audience. With five years in the newsroom, she strives to balance the speed and rigor of fast‑moving news cycles and longer, context‑rich explainers. <br><br> Before joining LiveMint, Arshdeep served as a Senior Sub‑Editor at Business Standard and earlier as a Sub‑Editor at Asian News International (ANI). Her experience spans live news flows, enterprise features, and multi‑platform packaging. <br><br> At Mint, she regularly writes explainers, quick takes, and visuals‑led stories that are optimized for search and social, while maintaining the publication’s standards for accuracy and clarity. She collaborates closely with editors and the audience team to frame angles that resonate with readers in India and abroad, and to translate complex developments into accessible, high‑impact journalism. <br><br> Arshdeep's academic training underpins her interest towards policy and markets. She earned an MA in Economics from Panjab University and holds a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI). This blend of economics and broadcast storytelling informs her coverage of public policy, elections, macro themes, and the consumer‑internet zeitgeist. <br><br> Arshdeep is based in New Delhi, where she tracks breaking developments and longer‑horizon storylines that shape public discourse.
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